Hello

My Mother in law is flying tomorrow from Durban South Africa to Canada via JNB (South Africa) and ADD(Ethiopia)

Her passport was delayed at the Candian Embassey in Pretoria and her plan is to have a family member meet her in JNB during her connection to give her her passport and carry on onto her destination

Is this possible?

She is convinced she doesnt need her passport to go from DUR to JNB bc it is domestic

We dont think that makes sense as it is only a connection

Please advise!

If it is one booking -- won't she have to show her passport when checking in at JNB? I haven't flown in SA so I guess there is a slight possibility things are done differently there, but EVERY single place I have ever flown when some legs are international I have had to show my passport at the initial airport before getting all my boarding passes.

NOW -- IF they are completely separate tickets - then sure. But she had better have a long layover between flights. She would have to exit arrivals and collect her luggage, meet the family member, then check in for the on going flight, go though security, etc.

I think janisj meant she will have to show it at Durban, unless the flight to JNB is on adifferent ticket. That's how it works in the US, but SA might be different...

I think this is a question she would have to ask the airline.

Normally, I think most people would want to check in for the whole route at the beginning, in which case I think she would need her passport at Durban. However, the airline might let her only check in for the domestic leg, and then check in for the rest at Johannesburg. Although I suppose these days you can check in online anyway. And I think even if checked through, if doing a domestic to international transfer in South Africa you do still have to exit the domestic terminal and go through passport control at Johannesburg (you can't remain in the transit area). So perhaps they might let her fly the domestic leg without a passport.

In any case, it is already tomorrow so I guess your mother in law has already found out the answer. I'd be curious to know if she managed it!

>>I think janisj meant she will have to show it at Durban<<

Yes -- that IS what I meant - sorry.